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[Page 8]Advocacy in the legal sense is very much like advocacy in the ordinary sense of the word: supporting, recommending, or pleading on behalf of a person, organization, or position. Advocacy before government bodies includes diverse forms of petitioning commonly protected by constitutional or statutory provisions: representation in court, lobbying legislative bodies, and participation in administrative processes. Private individuals, firms, and interest groups—stakeholders—engage in advocacy directly and through professional advocates.

This entry focuses on a type of advocacy conducted by government authorities themselves. Particularly in complex regulatory states, overlapping authority or legislative mandate can prompt interagency cooperation. Agencies can share information and work to avoid conflicts as they administer areas of mutual concern. Government advocacy occurs when agencies advocate for particular policies with other government bodies. ...